Page 1July 31, 2017
Barbara S. Baron Nicholas Butler James Dobson Wendell King,III
President Secretary Vice President International Liaison
Brookdale Community College University of Maryland Las Positas College, CA Texas Southern University
Matthew Johnson
Treasurer
Florida College
July 14, 2017
Greetings Forensics Friends:
The 28th Annual International Forensics Association (IFA) will be held in Montreal, Canada, in March 2018. Competitors, coaches and friends of the IFA are welcome! We will continue our traditional goal of providing a competitive tournament outside of the United States, while providing wonderful opportunities to experience diverse cultures, exceptional architectural artistic wonders, and sample culinary delights.
The tournament will be held on Monday, March 12, and Tuesday, March 13, 2018. We have reserved a block of rooms for the entire week and we have added additional rooms for those traveling earlier or later. (Travel information is included on the next pages) Our International Liaison, Wendell King, is working to include a special dinner reception for awards.That said there might be a small additional fee per person for the ceremony.
For the past seven years, all participants have arranged for their own travel. With the advent of the Internet, there are no incentives offered by airlines. We do strongly request that all participants book their hotel space though the IFA website link that is listed in the travel section of this letter. Our rate includes an American breakfast, WIFI,and all applicable taxes. The rate you are charged will be less than any that you may find online. Should there be a large shift in currency exchanges, we can negotiate with our representative at the hotel to adjust the rates. We cannot provide that service for those who do not book through our site.
Every school is responsible for a competition room in the hotel at the rate of 1 room per 10 entries. While you may find better rates nearby at an inferior hotel, to keep the tournament affordable for all schools to attend, we strongly advise that you make reservations at the tournament hotel. It is unfair for some schools to subsidize the costs of the tournament while others do not. While we appreciate the budget constraints that nearly all schools have, we have worked diligently to find a hotel that is affordable for all.To continue the IFA, if a substantial number of contestants do not use the tournament hotel, we will be forced to change our per slot room requirement and/or increase the per person fee for those not staying at the hotel. We cannot stress the importance of this for the sustained viability of the tournament.
Two final notes: In 2014, we re-established our affiliation with the National Communication Association (NCA.) Part of our agreement includes that our Officers remain current with their membership. NCA also encourages all participants to attend the NCA Convention (this year marks their 103rd year Anniversary and will be held in Dallas, TX) and to keep current with your membership. If you are attending NCA, please make every effort to attend our Business meeting and our panel discussion, which will be held Friday morning, November 17, 2017. If you are planning for NCA now, and you would like room options, please contact Jill Kraartz directly at
We expect a large tournament in Montreal;the inquiries so far have been tremendous. Several school that we haven’t seen for years, and some who have never attended have already let us know that they will be participating this year! We hope that you can join us for what we know will be a wonderful experience for all. Details for the hotel and our travel agent are included in the following pages of this letter. Come celebrate 28 years of the IFA with us in Montreal! Can’t wait to see you there…
Best regards,
Barbara S. Baron
Professor in Speech Communication @ Brookdale Community College, NJ
President for the IFA
Please see the following pages for Travel Details
See the attachments for travel forms and links for the tournament.
NCA Meeting Details:
Fri, 11/17 2017
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM:International Forensics Association Business Meeting
Location:Marriott, Normandy B -Third Floor
12:30 PM - 1:45 PM:International Forensics: Our Legacy and Our Relevance Abroad
Location:Marriott, Normandy B -Third Floor
TRAVEL DETAILS from Jill Kraatz:
IFA 2018 willbe held in Montreal, Canada! Montreal is currently celebrating its 375thBirthday and while you are there, you will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy culture and history of this great city.
Our tournament hotel will be the Embassy Suites Montreal. As you may know, Embassy Suites hotels offer 1-bedroom suites. Your options for rooms will be depending on US currency exchange.
1-bedroom suite with a King or Queen Bed for 2 people - $169 CAD(Canadian dollars)
1-bedroom suite with two double beds - $189CAD
There are full-sized sofa beds in each suite. Additional people in a suite are $35 CAD per day – with a maximum of 4 people in a room
All rooms have a full-size refrigerator & microwave
Rates include breakfast, internet & nightly reception.
Please note that all rooms will be charged a one-night deposit 30 days prior to your arrival date. This deposit is non-refundable. You can turn in your rooming list and make changes prior to the 30-days without penalty.
Also note that awards will likely be at an off-site venue. The IFA Liaison will work to find a location nearby and that info will be shared once a venue is secured.
The Embassy Suites is located in the Financial District, on the perimeter of Old Montreal.Old Montreal is a part of downtown Montreal that has been preserved in much of its original state, with the oldest buildings dating back to the 1600s.Old Montreal is European in character. Cobblestone streets, a café culture and historic 17th- and 18th-century architecture all contribute to the quaint charm that is unique amongst cities in North America.
Your students willlikelyfind many worthwhile educational and historical activities during their time in this great city!
Please refer to the attached EXCEL spreadsheet for additional travel information to be submitted to Jill Kraatz, and to see the cancellation policy for the hotel.